Step 1 - Consent

Patients

"All my questions were taken seriously"

Providing one’s informed, voluntary consent is the fundamental prerequisite to be able to participate in a clinical trial. Each patient experiences this stage differently, depending on what he or she has been through, and each has their own questions, as Pierre and Robert* recount.

Medical professionals

"Every patient has the right to know what to expect"

Dr Angela Orcurto is one of two physicians who meets with the patients scheduled for participation in the trial, to provide them with a detailed explanation of what they can expect. Over two consultations, she covers the protocol "from A to Z" and presents the consent form.

KEY FIGURES

2

consultations dedicated to addressing consent issues

60

min. for the initial consultation

27

pages to read before giving consent

16

points addressed in the swissethics consent declaration model

Any clinical trial generally consists of four successive phases. In the clinical trial that we focus on here – of which the principal investigator is Prof. George Coukos, head of the Oncology Department of CHUV-UNIL –, phase 1 is currently underway. This phase aims to assess patients’ tolerance of the treatment. The results of the trial will only be published following the research protocol. Media should address any requests relating to this trial to the CHUV Communication Department.